BACKGROUND
Shooting weapons for sport or practice is a well known industry in this country. The most basic and common way of enjoying these activities has been target shooting. The target the person is shooting at could be as simple as a can on a fence or a hay bale with a paper target affixed to it. The idea of laser activated targets have also been employed for recreational target shooting such as laser tag, but these systems aren't accurate enough to provide a person with the kind of feedback they require. Other permanent sensor based targets have also been used, but they are not portable, do not allow for real-time feedback, do not provide detailed scoring, and lack video capture for analysis of the person's shooting technique. Therefore, there is a need in the industry to provide a portable target that can provide detailed feedback for the shooter.
SUMMARY
The current application is a child of the following applications that are incorporated into this application: Ser. Nos. 18/469,550; 18/454,871; 18/479,089; 18/484,551; 18/395,584; 18/420,923. The invention is a portable target for shooting using sensors for determining a shooter's accuracy. A target could be used by itself, or the target could be part of a networked number of targets placed in proximity to each other. Each target could any number or target points, which are areas on the target that can identify a strike, the points being a sensitive sensor allowing for the target to know that it was struck and where on the target. The targets could be any type of shape, for example a human body or torso or an animal such as a boar. But the targets could be any shape or size, including 2D shapes and 3D objects. In the case of a 3D target, the target points could be place on any side of the target.
Each target point would be made up of a pressure sensor and a plate that receives the impact. The plates could be any size or shape, to help the shooter hit specific areas on a target or small enough to challenge the shooter's aim. The plates would be removable and interchangeable allowing for infinite customizations by the shooter. The plate and the sensor could be the same device, or the plate could be attached or inserted onto/into the sensor. The sensors could be complicated piezoelectric sensors, which would allow for high sensitivity and rapid response, or they could be simple pressure sensors to allow for a more cost effective target. The different kinds of target points could be combined on a single target allowing for the shooter to upgrade and customize their target. The target points should be rugged enough to withstand regular gunfire as well as soft projectile strikes such as from an Airsoft gun bullet.
The target would work with other shooting analytic systems such as video analysis of the target and/or shooter, a hand or firearm mounted recoil detector, and a central device running an app, such as a phone, that would collect up the data from the various systems to provide detailed feedback to the shooter. The different targets could communicate over wired or wireless networks, but wireless networks are preferred to allow for quicker setup. Each strike of a target point on a target or multiple targets would be aggregated and then combined with the data from the other systems to provide the detailed feedback. The target feedback could be as simple as a sound associated with a target strike like a boar shrieking, or a voice saying target hit, or as complicated as an 3D rendering of the shooter, the projectile, and the target. The strikes could be registered as a simple hit, or each target point could be assigned a customized value by the user to allow for more complicated training exercises.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF FIGURES
FIG. 1 shows an example target.
FIG. 2 shows shows an example target.
FIG. 3 shows the layers of the striking portion of the target point.
FIG. 4A shows an overview of a target simulation system.
FIG. 4B shows multiple shot detector mounting options
FIG. 5 shows the interaction between a smart phone and the targets.
FIG. 6 shows an example of a smart phone display.
FIG. 7 shows multiple shooters and targets.
FIG. 8 shows a detailed method of using the target with a smart phone.
FIG. 9 shows an example target.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show versions of the shapes of the target bodies 1, a boar and the silhouette of a human torso. The target bodies could be any shape and size, such as any type of animal, size of animal, shapes or objects, or a person or people. The target bodies could be affixed to the ground via a pole or post that connects to a base. The base could be a large flat piece that weighs enough to hold the target body in place while being struck by a bullet. The target bodies could also be part of a frame built behind the target body, the frame would be heavy enough to hold the target body in place, but light enough so as the target could be easily moved and placed. While the images and specification will refer to 2D targets with target plates located on the front, the targets could be 3 Dimensional shapes that could have target plates attached on any side.
The target bodies have target plates 2, 3, and 4 attached to the target bodies, these are the locations on the target bodies that the user would be shooting at. The target plates could be individual plates, with a piece affixed to the back of the plate to attach the plate to the target body. The plates could be any shape and size, as long as the plates don't overlap each other or they don't extend past the edge of the target body. The plates could be painted a bright color or any color, or the plates could be colored to resemble the target body behind it as an effort to camouflage the plates from the shooter. The target plates could be a single flat object that has an method for attaching it to the target body. The plates could be attached by a simple pole that slides into a hole on the target body, or the plate could be a clip or screw mechanism. Each of the target plates would use a sensor, which will be described in detail below, that could be integrated into the target plate, or the target body itself could have the sensors integrated into them, where the plate is just a simple object that is used to trigger the sensor when a projectile hits the target plate.
The target body could have preinstalled points on it for the target plates to be attached to, or the target points may be able to be installed on any point on the target body. The target body could hold any number of target plates at a single time, as long as the plates didn't overlap or go past the edge of the target body. The target plate shown in FIG. 3 would ideally have the sensor embedded or integrated into the front facing portion of the target plate. The target plates would be constructed of 3 layers, a protective cover 5, sensor 4, and a backing material 3. Ideally, the protective cover 301 would be made of a material that could withstand multiple strikes from projectiles in rapid succession, such as a metal or alloy. The sensor 4 could be either a pressure sensor or a piezoelectric sensor. The sensors could detect a single strike anywhere on the plate as a hit, or the sensors could be sensitive enough to detect where on the target plate the projectile struck. The sensors would be able to detect multiple strikes with little time in between them as individual hits on the target. The sensors would also be sensitive enough to detect strikes from targets that are not fired from a firearm. Those projectiles could consist of balls, rocks, arrows, javelins, Nerf Guns, Airsoft Guns, and anything a person could throw at the target. The backing 3 could be of any material that could stand the continued impacts without being damaged. The backing would also have the attachment mechanism discussed above for attaching the target plate to the target body. The target plates would be covered with a protective coating such as silicon, bullet resistant fabric, or metal, to prevent harm to the sensors embedded in the target plates. The protective coatings could be swappable to change the sensitivity and/or durability of the target points depending on what kind of projectiles the user is using during a shooting session.
Because the target plates are interchangeable, each target plate could be integrated with different types of sensors depending on the preferred type of the shooter. The types of sensor that could be used with the sensor plate are pressure sensors and a piezoelectric sensors. The pressure sensors are beneficial as they are cheaper than their piezoelectric counterparts, but they lack the ability to detect multiple strikes within a small amount of time. The pressure sensors also have the added benefit of being more robust than their piezoelectric counterparts, so they would be useful in situations where a shooter is training with larger caliber ammunition that is not normally used in rapid fire situations. These types of sensors only sense when something strikes them, so they have a binary output of either hit or not hit. Piezoelectric sensors have the added benefit of being able to indicate when a projectile has struck them, as well as detailing when something struck and at what area of the target plate. This has the advantage of being able to detail to the shooter where on each target the projectile hit and when each projectile hit the target. This would allow for the system to output a detailed analysis of the shooter's technique. The sensor types could be mixed and matched depending on the intended use of the shooter. For example the pressure sensors could be used for the main body parts of the target, while the piezoelectric sensors could be placed on the target at smaller more delicate parts of the target such as the head or limbs.
As shown in FIG. 4A, the targets could be used in combination with other devices that track the user's shooting technique. A shot sensor, for detecting when a user fires a firearm, could be attached to the firearm 404 or the user's body 405, which uses acoustic (sound) or motion (recoil) based sensors to detect when a firearm is fired. A camera system 401 and 402 could be aimed at the target to record and analyze where on each target 403 the projectile has hit. A user device 406, such as a smart phone or tablet, would be used to aggregate all the information from the different systems to output to the user a detailed analysis of the shooting session. This output information could be as simple as a score output as shown in the figure, or as detailed as to where each bullet hit the target, at what point the firearm was fired and when the projectile hit the target, and how quickly the user was able to hit each target point accurately. The target would need a smart phone and shot detector to function, but the other systems could be added or removed depending on the need of the user for a particular shooting session. The system can function with only the user device, the recoil sensor, and the target(s). This allows the target system to function at night or in low visibility situations such as military training that may include simulated smoke or dust.
As depicted in FIG. 4B, the use of targets in tandem with a secondary shot detection device enhances training precision and dependability. This device, which can be either a recoil or an acoustic sensor attached to the firearm, or worn on a finger, plays a pivotal role in confirming shots fired. While both types of sensors significantly contribute to the system's verification process, the recoil sensor stands out for its accuracy and immunity to environmental noise, making it a superior choice for detecting the act of firing a firearm. This dual-detection methodology ensures comprehensive coverage of every shot: if the primary target sensor does not acknowledge a hit, the additional data from the recoil or acoustic sensor allows the system to accurately record the shot as a miss. This setup not only bolsters the fidelity of performance tracking but also empowers users to discern specific areas for refinement by effectively distinguishing misses from hits, thereby enhancing the overall training experience.
FIG. 5 shows a method of how the target(s) would work with the smart phone. When a user starts a shooting session, they would place the target in a preferred spot and power up the target. The target itself could be plugged in to an external power source or powered by a battery or solar power source so that the placement of the target would be more flexible. Or each target plate with the built in sensors could be individually be powered by an power source independent from the other target plates. This would allow for a user to only power on the target plates that they wanted to use in that particular session. When the target was placed and the target plates were powered up, they would connect wirelessly to the user's smart phone. This would require that the user pairs each target sensor with the smart phone before the target was set up, or when the target is set up. The pairing process could be started using a button on the target or target plate, or it could be automatically started when the target was powered on. A user would then use their phone to select which target(s) or target plate(s) to pair with for that session. Once the target is set up via the user's smart phone, the user would start the session. The session could be started via a button or voice command inputted via the smart phone, or in the case where the recoil detector is used, the system could be configured to start a session as soon as a firearm has been fired.
The user starts the shooting session and fires at the target. The target determines which of the target plates were struck and at what time the target was struck, this information would be sent wirelessly to the smart phone device, which would continue to collect the striking information until the user ends the session. The session could end when a user set time has expired, when the user manually ends the session via a command on the smart phone, or after a period of inactivity. The information for the shooting session, when over, would be analyzed into useful information to be output to the user via the smart phone. An example of an output is shown in FIG. 6, which shows a score assigned to each strike, timing information for each strike, and which target and/or target plate was struck.
FIG. 6 shows an example of an output on a user's smart phone. The example output could be a grid that shows each target, the score of the target strike on the target, and the time of the strike on the target. The total time and total score could also be shown at the bottom, for example, to give the user an overall evaluation of their shooting session. The individual squares could be clickable icons that when a user clicks on them, would bring up detailed information for each target. The additional information could include multiple strikes on the single target, the summarized information about the target strikes, that expands when clicked. The information could include an option to view the video of the strike of that target, the video of the user firing the firearm, or a side by side view of the user and the target. The output of information on the smart phone is customizable by the user, either before or after the shooting session. The customization would include, but not be limited to, time for the projectile to strike the target, length of time between shots, different scores assigned to each target, a required progression of targets to be hit, weather conditions for each shot, comparison to previous shooting sessions, etc., The customization would also allow for the user to create contests or challenges that the user could repeat, trying to beat their previous score, or uploading and downloading the contests or challenges to/from other users to try and challenge other users using the same system. The user could also upload the information, such as the scores, to a social network site like Facebook to show off their skills to their friends, family, and/or other users. This would allow users to improve their shooting ability, shooting technique, or any other metric that would help them to improve their shooting sessions. The smart phone would also include a coach or mentor functionality that would take the information recorded from a single session, or multiple sessions, and aggregate that information into real time feedback to help the user improve their grip, stance, aim, breathing, position, speed of shots, speed of aiming, reload speed, and any other metric that could improve a user's shooting technique.
FIG. 7 shows a target setup with multiple targets, each with multiple target points, and multiple shooters. The targets could be setup outside or inside at a range, and the targets could be moved or customized between shooting sessions. The system could be synchronized with each user's smart phone, or other device, so each user was alerted that a shooting session started by a beep or vibration, and the end of a shooting session by a similar means, so that every shooter follows the same shooting guidelines. The system could use the cameras, 11 and 12, to match up the shooter with each strike which would allow for the users to fire at any target that is in front of them. The cameras could be mounted on a tripod or pole, their aim set by the organizing user before the shooting session, or the cameras could be on motorized mounts that could follow the progression as a user shoots the targets down a line. The user could also user a stand or tripod for their smart phone to add to the video coverage of the shooting session.
While a direct connection to a smart phone device has been described above, the system could also use a central data hub(s) 8 as shown in FIG. 8. These hubs could be setup well before a shooting session, assigning the targets and connecting them up to the hubs. The hub would be a small portable device that may have a mechanism to allow them to be attached to a pole or static object to keep the wireless connection between the targets and the hub strong and constant. The hub would have collect up the data from the various targets and forward the data to the user's smart phone or automatically upload the data to a central data store that could then distribute the data to other users or a contest or competition website. The hub would connect all the different systems shown in FIG. 4 such as recoil detection devices, smart phones 10, targets 1, target points 2, and cameras(s) 11. The hub could be a simple wireless relay that aggregates all the data from the various systems and sensors and forward the data to the user's smart phone, or it could be a complicated computing device that does the data analysis of the data and forward the processed data to the user's smart phone. The processing of the data could also be done on the user's smart phone or be forwarded to a centralized data center or cloud system that performs the data analysis and forwards the results to the user's smart phone or other computing device. Using the hub or cloud system to analyze the data would reduce the requirements for the processing capabilities of the user's smart phone devices, so they act as just a display device for outputting the useful information to the user.
The cameras used could be standard off the shelf cameras, such as a GoPro, or customized cameras designed to capture video at high frame rates. The resolution of the video captured could be determined by the camera's performance and abilities, or the resolution could be reduced at the camera or hub to reduce the amount of data that is transferred over the network or storage limits of the user's smart phone. The resolution and frame rate could also be customized by the user using settings stored and modified by the user's smart phone by interacting with the app or applet running on the user's smart phone. The video data could be altered to show overlays or guides on top of the video output to act as a coach when the user or others watch the video in real time or after the shooting session is over.
FIG. 9 shows a traditional target with a bullseye surrounded by widening circles expand out from the center point of the target. Different points would be assigned to each ring, or to specific parts of the target to hone a user's ability to hit a target dead center. The target could include a speaker or other device able to create a sound to signify to a user when the target was hit. The sounds output when a target is struck could be defaulted to a simple word hit or strike, or a noise such as a boar or animal shrieking, or a number indicating the score of the strike on the target. The sound could also be output by the user's smart phone or a pair of wireless or wired headphones that connect up to the smart phone or hub.
The target system could be used for personal shooting training, law enforcement or military training, teaching an inexperienced user how to shoot safely, or any other firearm related training. Information presented to the user on the phone could include, but is not limited to, ammunition tracking, video analysis, scenario based training, health warnings such as a warning about the user's hearing, maintenance reminders for the firearm, and in app purchases for adding software and/or hardware capabilities to the shot tracking system.
The wireless network could be a wifi, bluetooth, adhoc, wan, lan, mesh, or any other wireless protocol for transferring data. The devices mentioned above could be implemented using any type of processor architecture able to execute software including, but not limited to, x86, ENIAC, RISC, Pentium™, and Apple Silicon™. The software could be any type of code that is used to instruct a processor to perform instructions including, but not limited to, Python™, Java™, C+™, FORTRAN, and Assembly. The software could be stored on any type of non-transitory medium including, but not limited to, RAM, ROM, Flash Memory, SD cards, solid stated drives, spinning platter storage devices, Punch Cards, Piano Player Reels, Hard Drives, and physical servers.
Patent Application
20250067543
